Commentators speculated that the situation must have been incredibly frustrating for Bautista Agut because Murray appeared to be playing with the freedom of a Grand Slam winner, despite his decision to announce his retirement last week, which would inevitably rally the crowd in his favour.

The atmosphere on court turned increasingly boisterous as Murray continued to play through his hip injury – it was not an easy game for Bautista Agut who received just a fraction of the Brit’s support.

Murray struggled to contain his emotions as the crowd gave him a standing ovation before the game had even finished – there was a palpable sense that the end was nigh.

“Andy deserves this atmosphere. Andy deserves all the people who came to watch him. It was an unbelievable match. He is a tough fighter. He gave everything he had until the last point and I want to congratulate him for everything he did for tennis.”

The post-match interviewer then turned to Murray, who said: “If this was my last match then [it was] an amazing way to end.”

“I gave literally everything I had. It wasn’t enough tonight, so congratulations to Roberto and his team. I don’t really have anything else to say. Thanks to everyone. My team, my family, everyone who helped me down the years.

“Maybe I’ll see you again. I’ll do everything possible to try.

“If I want to go again I need to have a big operation which there’s no guarantee I’ll come back from but I’ll give it my best shot.”

Murray said last week he hoped to finish his career in the place where he ended a 76-year Grand Slam drought for British men’s singles players – at Wimbledon – but as he hobbled off the court in Australia, there was a sense that that battle against Bautista Agut may have just been his last.